POET. That's not feigned, he is so.

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APEM. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: he that loves to be flattered is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

TIM. What wouldst do then, Apemantus?

APEM. E'en as Apemantus does now,-hate a lord with my heart. TIM. What, thyself?

APEM. Ay.

TIM. Wherefore?

APEM. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.-Art not thou a

merchant?

MER. Ay, Apemantus.

APEM. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not!

MER. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

APEM. Traffic's thy god; and thy god confound thee!

Trumpet sounds. Enter a Servant

TIM. What trumpet's that?

SERV. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse,

All of companionship.

TIM. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to us.

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[Exeunt some Attendants.

You must needs dine with me :-go not you hence
Till I have thank'd you :—when dinner's done,
Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company

Most welcome, sir!

APEM.

So, so, there!—

Aches contract and starve your supple joints!—

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[They salute.

That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves,

And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out

Into baboon and monkey.

ALCIB. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed

Most hungerly on your sight.

TIM.

Right welcome, sir!

Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time
In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.

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[Exeunt all except APEMANTUS.

Enter two Lords

FIRST LORD, What time o' day is 't, Apemantus?

APEM. Time to be honest.

FIRST LORD. That time serves still.

APEM. The most accursed thou, that still omitt'st it.
SEC. LORD. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?
APEM. Ay, to see meat fill knaves, and wine heat fools.
SEC. LORD. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

APEM. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice.

SEC. LORD. Why, Apemantus?

APEM. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee

none.

FIRST LORD. Hang thyself!

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APEM. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

SEC. LORD. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence!
APEM. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the ass.

[Exit.

FIRST LORD. He's opposite to humanity.-Come, shall we in,
And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes

The very heart of kindness.

SEC. LORD. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,
Is but his steward: no meed, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,

But breeds the giver a return exceeding

All use of quittance.

FIRST LORD.

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

SEC. LORD. Long may he live in fortunes !-Shall we in?
FIRST LORD. I'll keep you company.

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[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. A Room of State in TIMON'S House

Hautboys playing loud music.

A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, Senators, and VENTIDIUS. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly.

VEN. Most honour'd Timon,

It hath pleas'd the gods to remember my father's age,
And call him to long peace.

He is gone happy, and has left me rich :

Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound

To your free heart, I do return those talents,

Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help
I deriv'd liberty.

TIM.

O, by no means,

Honest Ventidius; you mistake my love:
I give it freely ever; and there's none

ΙΟ

Can truly say he gives, if he receives:

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them; faults that are rich are fair.
VEN. A noble spirit!

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON.
TIм. Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devis'd at first
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;

But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes

Than my fortunes to me.

FIRST LORD. My lord, we always have confess'd it.
APEM. Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have you not?
TIм. O, Apemantus,—you are welcome.

APEM.

You shall not make me welcome:

No;

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

TIM. Fie, thou'rt a churl; you've got a humour there
Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame.—

They say, my lords, ira furor brevis est;

But yond man is ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself;
For he does neither affect

Nor is he fit for 't, indeed.

company,

APEM. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon:

I come to observe; I give thee warning on 't.

[They sit.

21

30

TIM. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; prithee, let my meat make thee silent.

APEM. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods, what a number of men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me to see

So many dip their meat in one man's blood;
And all the madness is, he cheers them up too.
I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:
Methinks they should invite them without knives;
Good for their meat, and safer for their lives.

40

There's much example for't; the fellow that sits next him now, parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest man to kill him: 't has been proved. If I were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes: Great men should drink with harness on their throats. TIм. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round. SEC. LORD. Let it flow this way, my good lord.

50

APEM. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well. -Those healths will make thee and thy state look ill, Timon.

Here's that which is too weak to be a sinner,
Honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire:
This and my food are equals; there's no odds:
Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.

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APEMANTUS'S GRACE

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself;
Grant I may never prove so fond,
To trust man on his oath or bond;
Or a harlot, for her weeping;
Or a dog, that seems a-sleeping ;
Or a keeper with my freedom;

Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to 't:

Rich men sin, and I eat root.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!

[Eats and drinks.

TIM. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now.

ALCIB. My heart is ever at your service, my lord.

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TIM. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than a dinner

of friends.

ALCIB. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast.

APEM. Would all those flatterers were thine enemies, then, that then thou mightst kill 'em, and bid me to 'em!

FIRST LORD. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might express some part of our zeals, we should think ourselves for ever perfect. 81 TIM. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I shall have much help from you: how had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myself than you can with modesty speak in your own behalf; and thus far I confirm you. O you gods, think I, what need we have any friends, if we should ne'er have need of 'em? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for 'em; and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We are born to do benefits: and what better or properer can we call our own than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere't can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you.

APEM. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon.
SEC. LORD. Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up.
APEM. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard.
THIRD LORD. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much.
APEM. Much!

TIM. What means that trump?

IOO

[Tucket sounded.

Enter a Servant

How now!

SERV. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance.

TIM. Ladies! what are their wills?

SERV. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office, to signify their pleasures.

TIM. I pray, let them be admitted.

Enter CUPID

CUP. Hail to thee, worthy Timon ;—and to all
That of his bounties taste!-The five best senses
Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely
To gratulate thy plenteous bosom :

The ear, taste, touch, smell, pleas'd from thy table rise;
They only now come but to feast thine eyes.

TIM. They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance :—
Music, make their welcome!

[Exit CUPID.

FIRST LORD. You see, my lord, how ample you're belov❜d.

120

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a mask of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing

APEM. Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!
They dance! they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whose age we void it up again,
With poisonous spite and envy.

Who lives, that's not depraved or depraves?

Who dies, that bears not one spurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?

I should fear those that dance before me now
Would one day stamp upon me: 't has been done;
Men shut their doors against a setting sun.

130